Tonight's Game: Magic At Hornets

NBA PLAYOFFS

April 20, 2002|By Tim Povtak, Sentinel Staff Writer

WHERE: Charlotte Coliseum, 8:30

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Hornets -- Power forward P.J. Brown is coming off his own ankle sprain, which kept him out of the final regular-season game. Although he practiced Friday, he didn't move as well as he normally does. That could be a problem if he has to chase Pat Garrity on the perimeter. Point guard Baron Davis just returned from Los Angeles, where he was tending to his ailing grandmother, the woman who essentially raised him. His mental state is key because he drives the Hornets in many ways. He played in his first All-Star Game this season. Magic -- Tracy McGrady, who has struggled with a sore back, must be able to dominate or the Magic will have real problems. If he is slowed, the whole team slows down. Darrell Armstrong, who often looked tired late in the season, might be energized by his return home for playoffs. Armstrong would like to look back on this series as one of the highlights of his career.

X-FACTOR: If Mike Miller can suddenly look healthy again, the Magic's chances increase significantly. His outside shot would force the Hornets into more of an outside game.

THE BUZZ: The Magic are hoping that recent history continues in the same direction. In the past two years -- in both the East and the West -- the No. 5-seeded team (Magic) beat the No. 4-seeded team (Hornets) in the opening round of the playoffs. . . . Conversely, though, the teams with home-court advantage have won 72 percent of the time in the playoffs dating to 1951. . . . This was the seventh time in the past nine years the Magic have made the playoffs. . . . The Magic are fourth among all NBA teams in consecutive seasons finishing .500 or better. They have done it for 10 seasons. The only teams better are Utah (19), Seattle (14) and Portland (13).